Beet-topper.



H. HARRISON.

BEET TOPPER.

f-.PPLIGI'LTION FILED MAY 29, 1912.

mw ww ww ATTORNEY;

3 SHEETS*SHEET l.

Patented 9st. 21 11913.

H. HARRISON.

' BERT TOPPER.

APFLIOATION MIJBD MAY 29, 1912.

y 3 SHEETS-SHEET Tr H. HARRSON. BERT TOPPER.

APPLIUATXON FILED MAY Z9, 19l2. L?@936 latenmdi 06. 2, 1913.

3 SHEETSf-SHEET 3.

yshorter bar 32 by bolts 33 on which are ,mounted spacer blocks 34, so thatv the bars a Doint a little to 'the ot tlie sl'iat Y is a bar 3l to which i attaolieli another 3l and s are separated by space eqijial to the length o1c the spacer blocks. Between l'lie bars 3l and 232 on. ogposite sifles oi' the center line of the machine are nonnteel other bloel's 35 each having oppositely clireeteil studs 3G serving as trunnions for the pivotal support of the block 3, Extending through eacli block is one enclof a slial't 3?..sueli enil beingthe upper enti ot the sl aft `when tlie machine is in operation, and this shaft is lielfl against longitudinal movement in the respective bleek 35 by a nut 38 applied to the corresponding end of the shaft. it an appropriate point each sliatt CarriesI a worin pinion 39 in position to .engage a respective one ol" the worms 30. Each shaft is of a length to ieaeli nearly to the groiu'iil when 'the machine is in operative position and at its lower enti carries cutting disk 40 slightly inclined to the horizontal, and the tivo shafts 3? disposed that tir-e cutting; disks slightly overlap, For purposes ol' strength tbe disks may be slightly dislieel. Between tlie Worm pinions and the disks 4G eacl'i slia'lt 37 extencls between an intermediate spacing member #l and respon` tive blocks the entls'of the member l being rounded and 'those ends of the lilocls i2 eng-aging tlie shafts 3T being also ronncled. Each bloei: earrieci by one entl a pin or roe 4&3 snrronntled by a lieiicai spring eist. "Vlie bloeitA 4l is mounted en tivo oiirvecl in. approxi Conform?. 'to ai. are struck from tiio ar 3i or 32. he plates/l5 at their enfls soacef by et? r plates perforated to serve as guides for the rods and the plates are iL. ,.ner united by bolts or pins l? n jingl through the member lli, While the .m are traversed by bolts or pins i8 also traversingstraps [t9 having angle ends embracing tlio plates and so disposed as to move lengthwise oi the plates -l alongn the respective upper and lower edges thereot'. The structure mafie up of the plate i5 and tlio parts Carried thereby may be in turn supported by brackets 5i mafie fast to the members 13 ot tile slieletonside beams.

in front oi ilie sliat'ts 3i' the members 18 are connected by a cross member .32 about midway of Vliioli is attached a bracket 523, and this bracket carries a oar 5st having' a suitable number ot bolt holes l'or the passage of bolts traversing botii the lbar if?) 54 anfl the. bracket so that tliebar maybe adjusted up ami lloivn as desired. 'Vlie lower eno; ot tlio bar 'Carries a rurved slioe 56, and furthermore is pr witlerl with bearing; T37 for a spindle 55;

in turn Carry infr' a (lisl witter Sil eflvnflizifr llii'olitfli i n {.n v" i .yy MH i ou wi me snee so Laat a Dertien, or .ne l

s ot

G7 between the members 18 and between the yoke and the bar 6? the rods are snrrounded by helical springs 68. Above the bar the rods 6G have nuts 59 applied thereto for purposes ot aflJustinent and tor securing the rocls against falling. v

5y ineens of the lever l1 the entire iframe made up of the sitle members .1,1318 and vtliff 'Conneoting cross ineinloers thereof have 'its iront portion raised. and lowered about the axle 2 as a pivot, 'and this raising and lowering is participated in by the cutters 4Q;

the cutter 59 and lie beet lifting points G17 together with the beet elevating linger 62 so that the operator may adjust tlie machine to the condi tions present.A If the machine be moved tliroiigli a ielcl of beets and properlj7 guided', the points I sides of ille beets of row7 'While the sl'ioe 5G will engage tbe beet tops antl flatten them, the cutter 59 then in turn-engaging the beet tops and severing then 'nterinecliately in the ,direction ot the .length-ot' the beet root. immediately afterward the v.flattened 'and divide/l beet tops are engage' l the cutters 40 which attack the l eet tops' rom opposite sides and ein;- tliem from thevboily .of 'the' beet and tlien tlie beet tops being alreadyinternietliately severed fall. to opoosite'sides of tlie beet body and the latter may-be elevated by means of the fingers 62,01' by. any other- Wiil pass on opposite lo@ i appropriate meclianisnn from the ground.

Should tile eutters l0 engagea stone or other hard substai'iee there immediately arises a tendency to spread the cutters, swinging the shafts 37 on the pivots' so that the cutters will separato one from another, this being permitted by the yielding ofthe springs. 441, but as soon the obstruction is passed the reaction ot the springs 44C returns the outl ters to their ordinary operative position.

@my the front and to the rear oi. the axle upon which tlie trame is pivotally mounted and part ot' 'the driving mechanism is mounted ni the traine to the rear of the axle, While the entiers and other 'parts of the mechanism are mounted on the frame in front of the axle. lllie carrying trame for the active igieolmnism is therefore more or less oiinterbalanced by the rearward extension thereof, so that little effort is necessary to adjust the traine by tbe operation of tlie lever ily but ille premntlerance of Weight at the critter or front enit el. the :trame is sullicient to maire lilla' beets.

What is claimed is' y 1. A beet topper provided with rotatable cutters7 carrying shafts therefor pirotally mounted. at the ends remote from the cutters to swing toward and from each other at the cutter ends7 and actuating means for the shafts between the pivoted ends thereof and the cutters.'

2. A beet topper provided with rotatable cutters, carrying shafts therefor pivotally ,mounted at the ends remote from the cutters to swing toward and from each other at the cutter ends7 actuatingf means for the shafts between the pivoted ends thereof and the cutters, spacer means for the shafts for determining their approach, and elastic means engaging the shafts for permitting them to move apart yieldingly and constraining the Shafts toward the approaching position.

3. A .beettopper provided with opposed rotatable cutters, a shaft for each cutter provided with a pivotal mounting` at the end remote from the cutter, el astio means engaging the shafts between the pivot ends ard the cutters and tending normally to canse the cutters to approach, and drive means engaging the shafts between the elastic means and the pivoted ends of the shafts.

4. A beet topper provided with opposed rotatable cutters, a shaft for each cutter provided with a pivotal mounting at the end remote from the cutter, elastic moana engag ing the shafts between the pivot ends and the eutters and tending normally to canse the cutters to approach, and. drive means engaging the shafts between the elznitie means and the pivoted ends of the shafts, said drive means comprising a Worm ineinber on each shaft and a. worm shaft engaging the Worm members of both shafts.

5. In a beet topper7 rotatable cutters, a shaft for each cutter at one end of which the cutter is mounted, a pivot support for the other end of each shaft, a spacing member intermediate of the shafts and, determining the approach of the shafts one toward the other, elastic members one for each shaft 'in the path of the movement of the shafts one away from the other, and dri ving means for the shafts engaging the saine between the elastic members and the pivot eupports for the shafts.

In testimony, that l olaim the foregoing as my own, l have hereto ailixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

l HENRY HARRISON.

Witnesses:

It. l'. Ho'ronines, H. S. Boueii'ron. 

